Health Activism

This page is to help raise awareness of campaigns to improve/maintain New Zealanders health – both at an individual and community level. If you would like updates on these issues, please join the appropriate group. Groups or issues are listed in alphabetical order.

Alcohol Action NZ

Excessive consumption of alcohol is causing horrendous harm to individuals and communities in New Zealand. Alcohol Action NZ is working to reform NZ’s alcohol laws so that they serve the interests of ordinary New Zealanders rather than alcohol industry. See: www.alcoholaction.co.nz

Fluoride Free New Zealand

In many New Zealand towns and cities, toxic fluoride compounds are added to municipal water supplies. This is a form of mass medication which does not take into account differences between individuals such as age, size, activity level, medical conditions etc and is highly unethical since it forces a medication on people who do not want it. (People who do not want to be medicated via their drinking and bathing water have to either spend literally thousands of dollars to remove the fluoride from their household water supply, or submit to being exposed to the health risks of fluoride if they cannot afford expensive filtration systems.) Fluoride Action NZ has been fighting this abuse of New Zealanders’ human rights for years with some notable recent victories.

Food Bill – Education and Resistance Initiatives

The Food Bill (which passed its first reading in parliament earlier this year and will likely be back on the parliamentary agenda next year) poses a significant threat to food security in New Zealand. If it is passed it would likely increase the price of food at a time when the cost of living is already rising and could potentially result in the destruction of seed banks containing heirloom non-hybrid seeds necessary for sustainable organic production. There a number of individuals and groups involved in educating the public about this issue, including the following:

www.foodbill.org.nz – This is a new site that includes a lot of information on the bill and some suggested responses.

GE Free NZ in Food and Environment

This organisation has been working for years to keep GE in NZ in safely contained laboratories – and out of our food and fields. Please support GE Free NZ in this work which is vital to a safer food supply – and all of our health.

No Forced Vaccines

This association aims to maintain New Zealand parents’ rights to choose whether or not their children are vaccinated – and for parents who support vaccination to be able to continue to be able to choose for their children to avoid certain vaccine(s) if they consider that any particular vaccine is too risky.

Raw (Unpasteurised) Milk Availability

Late in 2010, the NZ Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries recently announced a review of the current practice of allowing farmers to sell limited amounts of raw (unpasteurised) milk and called for public submissions on this issue. Raw milk is a nutritious food – in fact it is nutritionally superior to pasteurised milk – and some people who are unable to tolerate pasteurised milk find that they can drink raw milk without problems. Raw milk is safe to consume if it has been produced in responsible manner and stored under appropriately hygienic conditions. (See: realmilk.co.nz) MAF received 1670 submission and will be reporting back on this issue around the end of February.

Stop “Smart Meters” Campaign

So-called “smart” or “advanced” meters use microwaves to send data relating to electricity use to the electricity supplier. As such they are making an increasing large contribution to the electromagnetic smog in which we all live. Smart meters are completely unnecessary as the analogue meters work well. I strongly recommend refusing to allow your electric company to “upgrade” your existing meter by replacing it with a “smart meter” as the increased exposure to microwave radiation may have short and long term health risks.

www.stopsmartmeters.org.nz – This New Zealand-based site gives information about potential health risks of smart meters, how to stop your electricity company installing a smart meter and how to get rid of a “smart meter” if you have one but do not want it.

UPDATE Nov 9, 2012: The Health Select Committee has now produced its report on the Natural Health Products Bill. The Report may be downloaded by clicking here.

The below information on this bill is for historical interest only. Submissions are now closed.

The government has called for submissions on the Natural Health Products bill. These are due by February 24, 2012.

This bill is likely to have a major impact on health professionals and public who use natural remedies as well as NZ businesses that manufacture or import natural health products. I have therefore discussed this bill at some length in the Health Freedom Report in issue 4 of The New Zealand Journal of Natural Medicine which is due out in the first week of February in NZ and the last week of February in Australia.

I will be studying the bill further with a view to making a submission myself and to help others who may like to make submissions. Please email me through the Contact form on this page http://www.naturalmedicine.net.nz/contact/ if you would like me to email you more information on the bill.

There is also more information and help to make a submission at the website of the NZ Health Freedom Trust at this link:

The Soil and Health Association

This organisation has been working for 60 years to promote organic food production and to protect New Zealanders from exposure to toxic pesticides. It has also been a strong voice against genetically engineered foods. The association publishes the extremely useful magazine Organic NZ.